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Hanging Lake trail reopening this summer after mudslide closure

The popular trail will reopen June 25. Reservations are available starting Monday.

GLENWOOD SPRINGS, Colo. — A temporary trail to Hanging Lake will open June 25 after the popular hiking route sustained significant damage in mudslides last year.

Located in Glenwood Canyon in the White River National Forest, Hanging Lake is one of Colorado's most popular tourist destinations. The steep 1.2-mile trail to the lake has been closed since July 2021 due to damage sustained after multiple mudslides in the Grizzly Creek Fire burn scar. Officials said in August that the trail had "extreme damage" and would require complete reconstruction.

> Video above from August: Hanging Lake remains pristine after mudslides, but the trail leading to it is treacherous.

Credit: Summit to Sea Trails
Crews work to remove pieces from the washed-out Bridge #2 on the Glenwood Canyon trail.

Jamie Werner, White River National Forest Stewardship Coordinator with the National Forest Foundation, said crews have been doing temporary repairs to safely reopen the trail this summer. 

"We are in the process of starting the longer-term sustainable trail to Hanging Lake that will last for decades to come," Werner said. "The design phase of that process will start later this summer, and we’ll be looking at trail alignment, trail user experience and trail materials to make it as sturdy as possible."

Credit: Summit to Sea Trails
Crews work on the Hanging Lake trail in Glenwood Canyon.

Since 2019, timed reservations have been required to hike the trail during its busy season. Reservations for this season will go on sale Monday at 10 a.m. at visitglenwood.com/hanginglake. The fee is $12 per person. 

There will be 615 reservations available per day. Visit Glenwood said there will no shuttle this year, so hikers will have to drive themselves and park in the Hanging Lake rest area. 

From 2019: Before & After: How the new reservation system changed Hanging Lake

The Grizzly Creek Fire started Aug. 10, 2020, in the canyon east of Glenwood Springs and burned more than 30,000 acres. The lake itself was spared, but the areas around it in the White River National Forest were burned.

From April: Work to begin soon on primitive trail to Hanging Lake

RELATED: Glenwood Canyon recreation path partially reopens after July mudslide

SUGGESTED VIDEOS: Colorado Guide


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